As they walked along the wide roads, Aurelion absorbed the surrounding scenery with cold attentiveness. This truly was a city within a city.
"We're going to where the Ranking Battles are held," Eira said. "Our warriors display their skills here and fight for their place within the clan. Discipline is important, but ultimately, strength must be proven."
Aurelion merely nodded, his eyes fixed on a larger, more central building ahead. As they approached, the muffled roar and sharp clashes of metal from within became more distinct.
They passed through the building's wide entrance. After passing through a few short corridors, they found themselves on a raised viewing platform at the edge of a vast arena.
The sight before Aurelion..., though smaller than the city arena he had visited with Roric, was more intense.
In the center of the area stretched a wide, circular floor. At the edges, weapon racks, training dummies, and various weights were visible.
There were stands, but not a random crowd like in the city arena. Rather, clan warriors, mostly in armor, sat with serious faces, watching the fight.
And right in the middle, the current struggle was unfolding. Two Northerner warriors were circling each other in a blur of speed. One, in light armor. The two crescent shaped short swords in his hands. His slashes, spins, sudden changes of direction...
He watched for every opening his opponent made, trying to slip in with sharp steel at every opportunity. A bright, silvery light suddenly appeared in the air. The warrior spun rapidly, launching two crescent shaped energy waves from his swords. The waves whizzed through the air.
The other was more solidly built. The round shield on his left, the tip of the long spear in his right hand constantly focused on his opponent's vital points.
He skillfully met the incoming waves with his shield. The silvery energy scattered with sparks on the surface of the shield, which also gleamed with a similar silvery light.
Wasting no time, he transitioned from defense to attack. With a fast lunge, he sent his spear towards the twin swordsman's chest.
The swordsman sensed the spear's approach at the last moment. He skillfully parried the downward thrusting spear with one sword, pushing it aside, while with the other sword, he twisted and lunged towards the spearman's undefended armpit.
The spearman, at the last second, lowered his shield to block the blow and simultaneously delivered a hard kick to his opponent with his free leg.
The swordsman staggered back a few steps from the impact, and the spearman used this opportunity to regain distance, both taking their stances again, sizing each other up.
A silvery aura surrounded the warriors. It became more pronounced especially when they sped up or used energy.
Their movements were so fast that even though Aurelion watched without blinking, he struggled to catch every detail, to understand the logic behind every move.
"This... this is incredible. Their speed, their techniques... And that energy... Roric's power was different, more overwhelming. Theirs is more fluid, more... sharp. Is this the Silverfang style? Traditions... Yes, I understand it now." A feeling of both admiration and deep inadequacy welled up inside him. How much would he have to work to reach this level?
Just as he was lost in these thoughts, he was startled by the sound of footsteps approaching from their side.
He turned his head and saw a tall, silver haired man smiling as he approached the platform. The dark grey fabric clothes he wore and at his side was a simple but red glowing straight sword at his side, with a straight line of crimson light in the middle of the steel.
His ash grey skin glinted strangely in the light. The warm smile on his face and the liveliness in his dark eyes formed an interesting contrast with the distinct aura of power he exuded.
The man came up to Eira, his smile widening. "Eira! It's great to see you here! I didn't know you were so keen on the ranking battles, to be honest."
Eira also smiled faintly "Hello, Falkar. I was just showing our guest around." She gestured with her head towards Aurelion.
Falkar's dark eyes turned curiously to Aurelion. He noticed the intense focus emanating from the child.
His smile became a little more curious. "Oh? Who is this little one? I've never seen him before. Especially... here?"
"This is Aurelion, Falkar," she said. "He's staying with Captain Roric. Clan Leader Viggo, invited him here, and I'm showing him around."
Falkar leaned slightly towards Aurelion, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the child, but his demeanor was not threatening, more like friendly curiosity. "The battle seems to have caught your interest, young man"
Aurelion suddenly turned to Falkar. His attention, torn from that battle, was now fully directed at this new figure.
"How are they so fast?" he asked Falkar directly. "Is it because of that silver energy? That aura?"
Then he suddenly turned to Eira. "Is this the Silverfang Clan's fighting style, Lady Eira? This speed, this... lethality?" But before waiting for an answer, his head snapped back to the arena as new movement began in the fight below.
Below, the spearman was focused on his swordsman opponent, who was rushing towards him.
He paused for a brief moment, then the long spear in his hand, along with a bright, silvery aura surrounding it, shot forward.
The spear whirred sharply as it spun through the air. The swordsman dodged sideways, narrowly avoiding the deadly spear.
The spear, missing its target, plunged deep into the hard earth at the other end of the arena, quivering where it stood.
But just then, Aurelion's eyes widened in astonishment. The spearman... was no longer at the spot where he had just thrown the spear!
In the blink of an eye, he suddenly appeared right next to his spear! Wasting no time, he swung the shield in his other hand forward.
The swordsman was caught off guard by this sudden relocation and attack. With a final reflex, he bent his knees and leaned back, the hard edge of the shield whizzing just inches above his head.
His balance was broken, he almost fell backward. He made a last ditch effort, slamming both his swords into the ground.
The crescent shaped silvery energy radiating from the swords hit the earth and instantly kicked up a dense cloud of dust, obscuring both warriors from view.
A few seconds later, as the dust cloud began to settle, both figures were on their feet, distanced from each other, their guards up again.
"He..." he whispered. He pointed his index finger at the spearman. "Did he just... teleport?!"
Falkar couldn't help but let out a warm laugh.
He placed a hand on Aurelion's shoulder. "Easy there, young man. You've asked so many things at once... which one do you expect us to answer first?"
Aurelion paused for a moment. The man's ash grey skin and confident demeanor had caught his attention.
His eyes drifted back to the spearman below. "That move. Going to the spear's side... What was that?"
"Ah, yes... What you called teleportation" he said, a hint of appreciation in his voice. "Not exactly teleportation, but close enough. We call it Reverse Bind. It's a rare and truly masterful technique."
He moved his hand slightly towards the hilt of his own red glowing sword at his side.
"Some warriors bind their weapons to themselves through special methods, summoning them with their will or controlling them remotely. This... is the opposite. The warrior, with intense focus and energy, essentially binds a part of his soul to his weapon. Think of it like chaining himself to it."
Falkar's eyes returned to the spearman in the arena. "As you just saw, after throwing his spear, he used that bond with his will to instantly pull himself to the spear's side. He closes the distance in milliseconds, catching the opponent completely off guard."
He watched the spearman with a mixture of admiration and respect. "Indeed... a beautiful technique. But, it has a cost. It consumes an enormous amount of energy, and if you noticed, the warrior is moving slower now, his breath more ragged. The slightest mistake during the bond's formation or if the bond is strained during combat... can shatter both the weapon and the warrior. Not everyone can do it, and those who do must be careful."
Aurelion listened intently to Falkar's every word. Reverse Bind... Binding oneself to the weapon... Pulling with will... Risk and cost... This is different from the energy manipulation Vespera mentioned. Forming a bond... A channel between the weapon and the soul? Very interesting...
"As for your other questions," Falkar continued. "Our speed... Yes, it's a combination of that silvery energy you see and years of brutal training. That energy is a special technique of ours. It increases our speed, sharpens our strikes. And that's our style. Speed, lethal precision, and capitalizing on even the smallest opening of the opponent to go for an instant finish."
"So what did you see, young man? Did you only notice the speed, or were you able to spot the mistakes the fighters made?"
Aurelion's eyes returned to the arena. The fight below was still ongoing, but the tempo had slowed a bit. The swordsman was more cautious after his opponent's sudden move. The spearman was visibly tired, not using that technique again.
Aurelion watched the fight for a few seconds, then answered in a clear voice. "The speed was impressive," he said. "But the swordsman... he should have noticed his opponent was catching his breath after the Reverse Bind. The spearman was vulnerable then, he maintained distance instead of pressing. He missed an opportunity."
He turned his eyes to Falkar. "And the spearman... after that Reverse Bind, he overextended when he swung his shield. If his opponent had reacted faster then, he could have gotten under the shield and taken him down."
Falkar's eyebrows rose in appreciation. A faint expression of surprise also appeared on Eira's face.
"You have sharp eyes, young man. You're right. Both sides are tired and starting to make mistakes. Most novices wouldn't notice."
Just then, the fight below flared up again. The swordsman, as if sensing his opponent's fatigue, lunged forward with a sudden attack. The spearman defended with a final effort. Swords and shield clashed repeatedly.
"Look," Falkar said, gesturing towards the arena. "Now we'll see whose will is stronger..."
Below, the swordsman, as if hearing Falkar's words, launched a final assault to capitalize on his opponent's fatigue. There were no more feints or tactics. It was pure, relentless pressure.
He lunged forward, silvery energy waves again erupting from his crescent shaped swords, forcing the spearman to retreat.
The spearman's shield held before him, met every energy blow, but he was visibly tiring, his steps heavy.
"The swordsman is taking a risk now," Falkar murmured, his eyes narrowed. "His opponent is exhausted, but he's also rapidly depleting his own energy. Not wise."
The swordsman caught a momentary opening in his opponent's defense. With a battle cry, he leaped forward, raising both swords above his head, bringing them down for a powerful vertical strike.
Both swords were now entirely enveloped in a bright, dazzling silver energy. The intent was clear, this was to be the final blow!
The spearman raised his shield with a final effort, his shield also covered in a similar silvery sheen.
CLAAAAANG!!
The sound of metal on metal, energy on energy, echoed deafeningly in the arena.
A shockwave radiated outwards from the center of the collision. Aurelion had to grab the platform railing.
The spearman's shield was torn from his grasp by the impact and flew to the other end of the arena. At the same time, his spear also fell from his hand.
The spearman staggered back a few steps from the force of the blow, shock and pain etched on his face. He was now disarmed and defenseless.
The moment of victory had arrived for the swordsman. With a savage grin on his face, without a moment's hesitation, he lunged forward with his two silver energy glowing swords for a final strike.
A roar went up from the stands. The fight was about to end.
Just as the tips of the swords were about to touch the spearman's chest...
Vzzzt!
The spearman's body suddenly vanished in the blink of an eye. The swordsman's blow missed and looked around in bewilderment.
But Aurelion had seen it. Just then, behind the swordsman, next to the spear that had just embedded itself in the ground, the spearman had reappeared!
That final Reverse Bind move must have consumed all his remaining energy, but it had worked.
Before the swordsman could understand what had happened and try to turn, the spearman, having retrieved his spear from the ground, lunged forward swiftly.
The gleaming tip of the spear plunged rapidly into his opponent's unprotected, vulnerable hip!
"AAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!"
This time, a pain filled scream echoed in the arena. The swordsman, his eyes wide with shock and pain, his hands involuntarily going to his rear, collapsed to his knees.
The spearman stood panting over his opponent. He pulled out his spear and rested on the ground.
His chest was heaving, and the silvery aura surrounding his body had completely faded. It was clear he could barely stand, but he had won.
Aurelion had watched the entire scene. Especially that final blow. It was unexpected. Brutal. And strangely... effective. It had instantly incapacitated his opponent.
A complex expression appeared on his face. Surprise, a little disgust, but also appreciation. "Unexpected target... But the result is decisive. Humiliating but finishing. An interesting tactic."
"Well, now," Falkar murmured "That's what I call a Silverfang move. A target is a target, right, cousin?" He turned to Eira.
Eira, however, had a slight expression of displeasure on her face."He won, yes, but it could have been a more... honorable finish."
Falkar laughed. "Honor doesn't fill the belly, Eira. The warrior acted cleverly, played his last card, and won. He deserves congratulations." Then he turned back to Aurelion, that warm glint still in his eyes. "See, young man? Power isn't just in technique, sometimes it's in the courage to do the unexpected."
Aurelion's reply to Falkar's comment was cold and analytical. "Actually, it wasn't unexpected," he said clearly. "After all, he had made that move before. His opponent thought he had won and lowered his guard. It was utter foolishness. If he had fought more intelligently, he would have won."
"Come on. Don't discredit the man. Yes, the other one made a mistake, but it was he who fought until the last moment, risking that difficult technique a second time." He gave his shoulder a light, friendly pat. "In battle, will speaks as much as intelligence."
Eira, instead of intervening in this minor disagreement, changed the subject. "Will there be any more ranking fights today, Falkar?"
Falkar shook his head. "You arrived a bit late, cousin. This was the last one. We usually finish the rankings before the evening sun sets." Then his eyes drifted back to Aurelion.
Eira followed Falkar's gaze. She watched Aurelion silently for a few seconds. Then she turned to Aurelion. "Since the ranking battles are over... would you like to see how your peers train? We have a separate area for the young ones."
Aurelion's eyes instantly lit up. Yes, he definitely wanted that! To see the level of the clan's younger generation, their training methods, would be invaluable. But... time. The damned one hour limit Brynja had set must be almost up.
He cursed inwardly. He didn't want to miss this opportunity, but he couldn't risk the fragile trust he had at Roric's house either.
"I'd love to, Lady Eira, but I'm afraid I have to return now. The time I was given is almost up. Still, I'm grateful for your hospitality and for what you've shown me. Your clan's traditions... are truly impressive."
"Are you in a hurry?" Falkar asked immediately "There's still much to show."
"Yes, I have some things I need to do when I get back. And... I need to stop by Clan Leader Viggo before I leave. I wouldn't want to go without paying my respects."
Eira nodded understandingly. "If you're really in a hurry, you can return directly, Aurelion," she said gently. "Clan Leader will understand, I'm sure. You can see him another time when you visit again."
Aurelion put on a hesitant expression. "I don't know... I wouldn't want to show any disrespect to the Clan Leader..."
Falkar interjected again, letting out a reassuring laugh. "Don't worry. My uncle doesn't really care about such minor protocols, especially when it comes to a special guest like you. Rest assured."
Aurelion seemed relieved by Falkar's assurance. He turned to Eira "In that case... please excuse my rudeness for your understanding and hospitality, Lady Eira, but if possible, I would like to visit this place, your clan, again. I will definitely stay longer next time."
"Of course, Aurelion," Eira said with a warm smile. "Our doors are always open to you. You can come whenever you wish."
"Exactly!" Falkar added cheerfully. "Let me know when you come next time, I'll personally show you around! Not just the fights, I'll show you other fun places too." He winked.
Aurelion smiled faintly. "Thank you, Lady Eira, Falkar."
"Come then," Eira said. "Let me see you to the exit."
They descended from the platform together. As Falkar waved them off, Eira and Aurelion left the training hall building and walked back the way they had come, towards the main gate of the clan compound.
Along the way, Eira gave Aurelion a few more general pieces of information about some of the surrounding buildings or the clan's operations.
When they reached the main steel gate, the guards immediately opened one wing of the gate again upon seeing Eira.
Eira stopped and turned to Aurelion. "I hope you enjoyed your visit," she said gently. "And remember, you can come back anytime you wish."
"Thank you, Lady Eira," Aurelion said, politely one last time.
He stepped out of the steel gate of the Silverfang Clan. He took a few steps away from the gate. Inside, there was a satisfaction from the successful visit and the information he had gained. A faint, smirk settled on his face.
Just as he lifted his head, intending to head towards Roric's house, he paused at the sight of a familiar figure appearing on the sidewalk across the street.
Brynja. The serious faced servant was walking directly towards him. Her eyes, despite the distance, were fixed on Aurelion, and her expression was, as usual, difficult to read.
The smirk on Aurelion's face vanished instantly. "Shit... Has it really been over an hour?"